Happy Fourth of July! Tomorrow we celebrate the United States Independence from Great Britain! We celebrate as a nation what makes us who we are. Though our nation is not perfect I am glad to call this place my home. Let's celebrate! Let's not take for granted the freedoms we experience. Let's honor our country and the men and women who have fought bravely to keep us free. Many have died for the sake of this freedom. Freedom is never free! We must be diligent about protecting our freedoms! Vote! Be informed! Do your part! Be a good citizen.
I've been thinking about George Orwell's, "1984". The book disturbed me when I first read it. It disturbs me even more today. First published in 1949, I recently reread through the first pages of this book. What disturbs me most are the similarities I find in the world that I am currently living and the "Big Brother" world of Orwell's "1984". I'm not surprised by the latest breaking news concerning a man named Snowden and his leaking the secrets of the National Security Association ("NSA") activity as it relates to our privacy in the public sector. I'm not surprised that we are being watched, listened to, checked out or even flagged.
I am disturbed not surprised.
While I'm disturbed by the invasion of privacy from the NSA, as a Christian I should need no reminder that the Lord is watching. He is watching every aspect of my life and yours. He's like that. There are times in ministry we can feel that He isn't even aware of where we are not to mention how hard we are working. There are times when heaven seems silent. Rest assured heaven is not silent nor is our Abba sitting idle while you strive to serve where He has planted you. He has numbered our days before one of them came to be. (Psalm 139:16) The hairs on our heads are numbered. (Matthew 10:30 & Luke 12:7)
"Where can I go to escape Your Spirit?
How can I flee from Your presence?
Psalm 139:7
Adam and Eve, lived in a perfect environment. Yet, we find them disobeying God and at that moment sin became a part of everyday life. Can you even imagine living in perfect unity and being convinced that God is still holding out on you? When they sinned they became aware of their nakedness. As Donna Gaines writes, "...they ran for cover. They created their own covering with fig leaves, constructed to conceal their guilt and shame. They hid themselves from God because they were ashamed of how they looked and of what they had done. They hid from each other because they were now so aware of themselves that they were self-conscious." God came looking for them. He came in the morning calling them by name. I don't think for a second that He didn't know where they were but He called just the same. Why is it that when we are made aware of our sin we want to take cover? To take cover can be:
1. denial
2. not attending church or church related events
3. not talking to our Christian friends
4. withdrawal from normal activities
5. prayerlessness,
6. no Bible study
7. no devotional time 8. entertaining thoughts or activities that you would have never entertained before.
Remember:
"The eyes of the Lord search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. What a fool you have been! From now on you will be at war." 2 Chronicles 16:9
The goal of the enemy is to keep you separated from God. He desires for you to form dependence on yourself and ultimately dependence on him.(the prince of this world). Just as King Asa in 2 Chronicles did not rely on God to fight his battles - when you and I do the same we lose!
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Diane Nix is director and founder of Contagious Joy. She is the spiritual mom of two grown daughters. (Kasia 32 & Courtney 30) The birth mom of two miracle daughters - one college bound Rebekah and one 15 going on 20 Rachel. She and her professor/pastor husband, Dr. Preston Nix, have served in ministry for 30 years this August. She speaks and teaches whenever the Lord gives her opportunity. Gratefully acknowledging that He has plucked her out of her birth family mire in order to share HIS LOVE!
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Independence from Great Britain! We celebrate as a nation what makes us who we are. Though our nation is not perfect I am glad to call this place my home. Let's celebrate! Let's not take for granted the freedoms we experience. Let's honor our country and the men and women who have fought bravely to keep us free. Many have died for the sake of this freedom. Freedom is never free! We must be diligent about protecting our freedoms! Vote! Be informed! Do your part! Be a good citizen. 
